The Sunday News
Nkosilathi Sibanda, Sunday News Correspondent
ATHLETES at primary schools in all Matabeleland North districts are this year pressed hard to garner for gold at the national championships after a leading book supplier Zero Supplies unveiled a sponsorship package to motivate the young runners.
Matabeleland North athletics has over time been on the wane, with perennial below par performances on track and field competitions.
Zero Supplies has moved in to support the National Primary School Heads (Naph), and give all the seven districts a full set of an athletics kit.
The districts are Binga, Bubi, Hwange, Lupane, Nkayi, Tsholotsho and Umguza. The province’s inter-district competitions are to be held at Mosi oa Tunya High school in Victoria Falls next month.
Zero Supplies managing director, Clemence Kunzekweguta said by sponsoring athletics in Matabeleland North, the company seeks to return the support they get from schools in the province.
“As a company we are delighted to work with the National Primary School Heads in championing the cause to educate our children. We note that schools in Matabeleland North have been a pillar to Zero Supplies. We want to reciprocate the gesture by donating an assortment of athletics kits to every district.”
Zero Supplies has a long and rich history of sponsoring schools athletics spanning more than two decades.
Kunzekweguta said it is hoped that if schools are supported, athletes will be motivated to do their best.
“Over and above the classroom, sports are important in the development of children and provide conduits through which they can express their talents which are not academic. I believe they are very critical but it is unfortunate they only take place in the first term of the year and that they are then forgotten during the rest of the year yet. I feel at a young age, children should be getting more exposure to the sport, learning the techniques and other such associated lessons as they grow up,” said Kunzekweguta.
